Current Date And Time In San Rafael, Costa Rica
Saturday, 15 August 2026
06:32:35 CST
State: Alajuela Province
Currency: Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Timezone: UTC -06:00 (CST)
Population: 3,624
District: San Ramón
Find cities, states and countries closest to San Rafael in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica with precise aerial distance in miles, kilometers and nautical miles, plus exact 16-point compass bearing and heading direction. This location intelligence data is used by logistics professionals, supply chain analysts, market researchers and field teams planning routes and coverage areas around San Rafael.
To assist regional market researchers, location intelligence professionals and logistics managers in strategic decision-making, we have compiled the key geographic and demographic attributes for San Rafael from our regional database:
| State / Region | Alajuela Province |
| District | San Ramón |
| Total Population | 3,624 |
| Land Area | 30.69 km² |
| Population Density | 118.08 / km² |
| Center Latitude | 10.0644° N |
| Center Longitude | -84.4736° E |
| Elevation | 1,074 m (3,524 ft) |
| UTC Time Zone | -06:00 |
| Population Rank in Alajuela Province | #13 of 25 |
| Flag | City | Distance | Direction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles (mi) | Kilometers (km) | Nautical Miles (nm) | Heading | Symbol | ||
| Alajuela | 18 | 29 | 16 | East (E) | ↑ |
|
| Alajuelita | 28 | 45 | 24 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Aserrí | 29 | 47 | 26 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Atenas | 9 | 14 | 8 | Southeast (SE) | ↑ |
|
| Barreal | 24 | 38 | 20 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Barrio Jesús | 7 | 12 | 6 | South-southeast (SSE) | ↑ |
|
| Carrillos | 14 | 22 | 12 | East (E) | ↑ |
|
| Chacarita | 21 | 35 | 19 | West-southwest (WSW) | ↑ |
|
| Colima | 28 | 45 | 24 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Colón | 19 | 30 | 16 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Desamparados | 8 | 14 | 7 | South-southwest (SSW) | ↑ |
|
| Echeverría | 21 | 34 | 18 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Escazú | 25 | 40 | 22 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Esparza | 14 | 23 | 12 | West-southwest (WSW) | ↑ |
|
| Espiritu Santo | 17 | 27 | 15 | West-southwest (WSW) | ↑ |
States and regions closest to Alajuela Province (home state of San Rafael), with aerial distance and compass direction — useful for cross-state logistics routing, regional market-expansion research and strategic site selection.
| Flag | State/Region | Distance | Direction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles (mi) | Kilometers (km) | Nautical Miles (nm) | Heading | Symbol | ||
| Bocas del Toro Province | 139 | 223 | 120 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
| Carazo Department | 152 | 244 | 132 | Northwest (NW) | ↑ |
|
| Cartago Province | 68 | 109 | 59 | Southeast (SE) | ↑ |
|
| Chontales Department | 130 | 209 | 113 | North-northwest (NNW) | ↑ |
|
| Granada Department | 143 | 230 | 124 | Northwest (NW) | ↑ |
|
| Guanacaste Province | 68 | 109 | 59 | West (W) | ↑ |
|
| Heredia Province | 29 | 47 | 25 | East (E) | ↑ |
|
| Limón Province | 66 | 107 | 58 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
|
| Managua Department | 181 | 291 | 157 | Northwest (NW) | ↑ |
|
| Masaya Department | 160 | 258 | 139 | Northwest (NW) | ↑ |
Countries bordering or closest to Costa Rica, with aerial distance and compass direction from San Rafael's home country — a quick reference for cross-border trade, travel planning and regional supply chain routing.
| Flag | Country | Distance | Direction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles (mi) | Kilometers (km) | Nautical Miles (nm) | Heading | Symbol | ||
| Aruba | 954 | 1,535 | 828 | East-northeast (ENE) | ↑ |
| Belize | 605 | 973 | 525 | North-northwest (NNW) | ↑ |
| Cayman Islands | 682 | 1,097 | 592 | North-northeast (NNE) | ↑ |
| Colombia | 740 | 1,191 | 643 | East-southeast (ESE) | ↑ |
| Cuba | 905 | 1,456 | 786 | North-northeast (NNE) | ↑ |
| Curacao | 1,015 | 1,634 | 882 | East (E) | ↑ |
| Dominican Republic | 1,101 | 1,771 | 956 | Northeast (NE) | ↑ |
| Ecuador | 887 | 1,428 | 770 | South-southeast (SSE) | ↑ |
| El Salvador | 446 | 718 | 387 | Northwest (NW) | ↑ |
| Guatemala | 603 | 971 | 524 | Northwest (NW) | ↑ |
Compare population and aerial distance of cities geographically closest to San Rafael. This regional snapshot supports market sizing, site selection, logistics zone planning and cross-city business analysis in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica.
| City | State | Population | Distance (km) | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael (You) | Alajuela Province | 3,624 | — | — |
| San Ramón | Alajuela Province | 10,765 | 2.7 | N |
| Palmares | Alajuela Province | — | 3.9 | E |
| Esquipulas | Alajuela Province | 1,512 | 5.6 | E |
| Santiago | Alajuela Province | 2,107 | 5.6 | SE |
| Piedades Norte | Alajuela Province | — | 8.7 | NNW |
| Naranjo | Alajuela Province | 11,853 | 11.1 | ENE |
| Barrio Jesús | Alajuela Province | — | 11.5 | SSE |
| Desamparados | Alajuela Province | 14,448 | 13.5 | SSW |
| Sarchí | Alajuela Province | — | 14.1 | ENE |
| Sarchi Norte | Alajuela Province | — | 14.2 | ENE |
How does San Rafael rank within Alajuela Province? The top 10 cities by population, land area and density are listed below — useful for regional benchmarking, investment prioritization and market-entry decisions. Cities where San Rafael appears are highlighted with ⭐.
| City | Population |
|---|---|
| Alajuela | 47,494 |
| San José | 31,430 |
| Quesada | 27,310 |
| Desamparados | 14,448 |
| Naranjo | 11,853 |
| San Ramón | 10,765 |
| Río Segundo | 9,853 |
| San Juan | 7,729 |
| Atenas | 7,014 |
| Orotina | 6,135 |
| City | Area (km²) |
|---|---|
| Poco Sol | 660.59 |
| Los Chiles | 503.61 |
| Pital | 379.27 |
| San José | 285.43 |
| La Fortuna | 229.59 |
| Florencia | 199.66 |
| Bijagua | 186.80 |
| Venado | 169.19 |
| Upala | 148.65 |
| Quesada | 143.48 |
| City | Density/km² |
|---|---|
| San Ramón | 8,410.16 |
| Naranjo | 791.26 |
| Zarcero | 300.85 |
| Orotina | 284.55 |
| Esquipulas | 280.00 |
| Santiago | 264.70 |
| Quesada | 190.34 |
| San Rafael ⭐ | 118.08 |
| San José | 110.11 |
| Laguna | 28.78 |
Juan Santamaría International Airport IATA: SJO 30 km (19 mi) from San Rafael |
San Rafael sits inside Alajuela Province, Costa Rica and ranks #13 of 25 cities in Alajuela Province by population. Every distance on this page is a straight-line Great Circle (haversine) measurement — the shortest path a plane or signal would take between two GPS points, not the longer road-and-turns route a driver would actually cover. View the nearby cities, nearby states or nearby countries tables above.
Scroll down and this page also ranks the states closest to San Rafael and the countries closest to San Rafael by the same straight-line measurement. For the complete national picture, see every country bordering or near Costa Rica. Handy for cross-border import/export planning, scouting a new travel corridor or lining up emergency logistics across North America.
Next to every distance sits a compass heading from San Rafael, plotted on the 16-point rose (N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW). The rotating arrow marks the bearing angle (0°–360°, where 0°/360° is due north) — see it in action in the cities, states and countries tables above. It's the same reference pilots, sailors and long-haul truckers use to picture the layout around San Rafael at a glance.
If you're stringing together stops in Alajuela Province, the neighboring cities table above doubles as a rough day-trip planner from San Rafael — shortest hops first. Pair it with the population and area data to gauge which nearby stop is worth the detour.
See the Cities Near To San Rafael table above, ranked nearest first with distance in miles, kilometers and nautical miles plus a compass bearing for each. Want the bigger picture? The nearest states and nearest countries tables sit further down this page, or compare every city in Alajuela Province by population and density.
Every figure on this page is a Great Circle (haversine) distance — a straight aerial line between the GPS center of San Rafael and the GPS center of the other place, not a driving distance. It's the same math airlines use to estimate flight paths. View the San Rafael map for the exact coordinates behind these numbers.
It's a straight line — the shortest possible path between two points on Earth's surface, ignoring roads, terrain and detours. Actual driving distance from San Rafael will almost always run longer, sometimes significantly, depending on the road network. Treat the figures here as a quick planning benchmark, not a substitute for a live route from a mapping or navigation app.
It's the bearing from San Rafael to that place, plotted on a 16-point compass rose. The rotating arrow marks the degree bearing (0°–360°), where 0°/360° is due north, 90° east, 180° south and 270° west. See it applied in the cities, states and countries tables above.
Distribution planners use it to pick warehouse or hub sites within easy reach of San Rafael. Sales and field teams use it to sequence visits by drive distance instead of guessing. Market researchers use it to scope out the next-closest town before greenlighting an expansion. See the population & area comparison and Alajuela Province city rankings above to size up each candidate.
San Rafael ranks #13 of 25 cities in Alajuela Province by recorded population. See the population & area comparison table above to weigh it directly against each neighboring city on this page.
The nearest airport with scheduled service to San Rafael is Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), about 30 km (19 mi) away. See the Nearest Airport card for more.